The crackling of ground could be heard as a young hedgehog sprinted towards his target. Nobody was going to stop him. He was going to destroy it this time... this time...
"Haven't you caused enough damage and pain for once?" The white-furred boy, who answered to the name of Silver, yelled at the fire monster in front of him. The people of his time referred to the monster as "Iblis", which is a synonym for devil. Upon first glance, it was obvious why such a name was chosen for the beast.
Iblis roared once it detected Silver's presence and hurtled a large chunk of the rock at him. The hedgehog quickly sidestepped the rock, tauntingly laughing at the monster all the while.
A coat of clear blue coated his gray fur as the hedgehog used his telekinetic powers to counterattack. He struck his mark, causing the monster to sink into the lava below.
"Yes!" exclaimed the thirteen-year-old hedgehog in happiness as he pumped a golden-cuffed fist into the air. "He's gone."
"Silver," said a flat but feminine voice behind him. Her voice was sprinkled with disapproval.
Silver turned to meet the golden eyes of his best friend, a lilac cat named Blaze. She was once the princess of Crisis City, but when the Iblis destroyed her home and killed her parents she was forced to live with the other orphans of the city. They mocked and feared her; her powers over fire led many to believe she was affiliated with the Iblis. Silver, however, stood up for her when nobody else did. Since that day five years ago, Silver and Blaze have been inseparable; always fighting side by side to save the world.
"Silver, you know he's going to come back. Why do you keep fighting him? It's pointless."
"I have to try! Otherwise he won't be stopped."
"Silver, you're so naive. We should spend time helping the people around here." Her eyes locked onto a burning building in the distance. She used her white fur-cuffed hand to direct Silver's attention to the building. "Let's go over there. There may be some survivors." She used her speed to jump across the pit of lava, using small rocks sticking up to refuel her momentum.
"Right," said Silver as he followed his companion. He used his powers to fly across the gap with ease.
The pair stood in front of the inferno of a building, which by now was starting to crumble due to the fact that the foundation was being burned away. The flames dancing before them reminded the duo that time was of the essence.
Silver was about to run in when Blaze held him back. "I'll take the higher parts," said Blaze. "You stay in the lower areas."
"But you're afraid of heights."
Blaze shook her head. "If the flames become too much, you can escape easier. My powers will protect me, so I have more time to escape."
"Blaze, you have power over fire, not crumbling buildings. I should take the higher areas. My powers will protect me from rubble AND flames."
The lavender feline looked over the building once more before nodding. "Fair enough. Good luck and be careful." She and Silver quickly clasped hands before Blaze ran through one of the building's openings.
Silver levitated up to the top and dropped through a hole in the roof. He figured it would be best to start at the top and work his way down.
"Is anyone in here?" he called. No response. He ran around the room, hastily checking any spots that could potentially harbor a person. Nothing. The courageous hero dropped down a floor and repeated the process, only to find nothing yet again.
The building started to shake; that combined with smoke inhalation caused Silver to fall to his knees. "Silver, get out of there!" yelled Blaze from outside.
"Hold on!" He had to get at least one more floor. Maybe he could save someone this time... this time...
"Silver, don't be stupid! Get out or I will drag you out myself!"
Silver ignored Blaze, even though deep down he knew she was right. He depended on the cat to guide him through their missions, for Blaze was more logical than him. He liked to rush into things headfirst, a trait that could easily get him killed. Blaze's insight kept him from such a fate.
Blaze also depended on him as well, even though she tried to hide it. Her years of torment had caused her to hide her emotions in a shell. Silver, however, was the perfect antidote to that. His determination and hope gave Blaze the mental strength she needed when she was so close to giving up. Silver gave her hope that there is indeed happiness in the bleak world of theirs.
Silver dropped down another floor and looked around. The building was starting to crumble around him, but that did not faze him. Once he was set on a task, nothing would stop him.
The hero's ears pricked when he heard the sound of weak coughing a few yards away. Somebody was in here! And they were still alive! Letting his instincts take over, Silver ran towards the coughing. He saw a young girl, no older than five years old, trapped underneath a large piece of wood. He leaned against the wood to push it off of the girl, only to be knocked to the ground.
The building was collapsing. He was too slow. Silver naturally covered himself with a protective telekinetic barrier to shield himself from falling debris. This act saved his life.
"Silver!" Blaze was screaming in horror as she watched the building crumble with her best friend still inside. Why did he always have to be the hero? Why did he always risk his life for others? Why was he so naive?
Silver used the remnants of his energy to shoot himself out of an opening in the building before it totally crumbled. He dropped painfully against the ground face-first and laid there in defeat. His blue aura died abruptly as the hedgehog was now wiped of all his power.
"Silver!" Blaze yelled, running over to her friend. She flipped him onto his back and checked for injuries. Luckily, he was okay. Blaze clutched her hand to her heart and tried to slow her racing heart rate. Once she calmed down, her eyes narrowed out of anger.
"Silver the Hedgehog! Why are you so stupid? You almost died! For the love of Sol, do not scare me like that!"
"The girl... girl..." muttered Silver before snapping to his senses. "The girl!" He jumped up and started to run towards the building when he realized it was completely ruined. The remains of the building sat ablaze in front of him, taunting him. His grief weighed him down and forced him to kneel on the ground. Despite his simple-mindedness, he knew there was no possible way the girl could have survived the destruction.
"I found a girl in there before the building broke," said Silver, his face and tone similar to Blaze's usual demeanor.
Blaze, who saw the change in her friend, put a hand on his shoulder supportively. "Silver, you can't save everyone."
"I was so close," he whispered. He pounded his fist on the ground. "I was so close!" he yelled, causing Blaze to whip her hand away.
"Silver, please calm down. It's not your fault; you tried your best. Iblis did this."
Her companion stood up and turned away from the destruction. His yellow eyes, glazed over with anger and sadness, scanned the pool of lava the Iblis usually inhabited. "I'll stop him one day. I swear it. For the people of this world... I'll do it."
Silver approached the pit of lava with Blaze alongside him. Sometimes he just wanted to jump off the edge and fall into the lava. That way all of his worries, fears, and failures would be burnt into a crisp, out of existence. But the hedgehog knew that the world needed him; he couldn't just quit.
"Do you think we'll ever stop him for good?" asked Silver, turning to his friend for assurance.
"Maybe. Something tells me the answer will not be simple."
Silver nodded. That was good enough for him. "I'll do whatever it takes to stop him, even if it means killing myself to do it."
Blaze's eyes widened. Silver has often expressed his desire to become the hero, but never to that extent. He never delved that darkly into matters. In her eyes, he never saw death as an option. Quite frankly, it scared the cat a little.
"Silver, you wouldn't kill yourself for Iblis... would you?"
The answer hit her harder than the demolished building hit the earth below. "Yes," he said coldly. "A world like this isn't worth living in." He walked away from the kava towards the more dense areas of the city. "Come on, I have a feeling it's reappearing. I want to stop it before it burns down more buildings." Silver ran off, knowing his fast friend could catch up with ease.
Blaze watched at the retreating form of her friend with sadness. Once Silver lost his spirit, she would not be far behind. She knew it.
Blaze looked back at the lava below her, the home of Iblis, and scowled. "What have you done to my friend... you monster?" she whispered.